When UWA’s Warden of Convocation Dr Doug McGhie takes part in the Perkins Institute of Medical Research’s 200km Ride to Conquer Cancer on October 13 and 14, he’ll be doing so for three causes very close to his heart.

Doug will pedal the two-day roundtrip between Perth and Mandurah to raise funds for cancer, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and youth mental health.

“I’ve experienced my own battle with cancer, including melanoma, and I lost my mother to MND in 1983 and a son to suicide in 2003,” Doug says.

These personal experiences have inspired me into action to support UWA’s research into all of them and I challenge everyone to support me in helping raise awareness and lessen the human impact of these conditions.

“All are prominent in society and we can make a big difference, just like Neale Daniher is doing with the Big Freeze and MND.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ready for action. The Warden of Convocation drums up support with a spin around campus. 

Despite doing a few laps on the bike in full academic regalia to promote his causes, Doug promises he’ll be in more ‘workmanlike’ gear during the race. “Probably more lycra than during my triathlon days of old,” he smiles.

“With over 100 years of graduations Convocation has well over 100,000 members,” he says. “Can they help me to raise more than $50,000, just 50 cents each to support important research into cancer, MND and youth mental health?

“Can we together demonstrate the strength of the Convocation network?!”

All donations over $2 are tax deductible and 100 per cent of all donations will be distributed evenly between the three causes.

If you’d like to contribute, call Dr McGhie on +61 419 988 488, contact Simone Yule on (+618) 6488 2575 or click here.

All contributions will be acknowledged in UWA's annual publication, In Recognition.